Dutch Oven Apple Cherry Cobbler

This was an easy and delicious cobbler.  I used one can of cherry pie filling and 2 large apples thinly sliced.  Place into a 12 inch shallow dutch oven.  For the crumble topping I used 1 cup of butter (2 sticks), 2 cups sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.  You can use a pastry blender to cut the butter but I like to use frozen butter and grate it on a cheese grater.  Mix until it is a nice crumble and sprinkle on top of cherries and apples.  Cook at 375 degrees using 18 briquettes on top and 9 on the bottom. Bake 45 minutes or until nicely browned in top.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Smoked Cheeseburgers and Dutch Oven Fries

 

Today was my wife's birthday and I decided to make smoked cheeseburgers and dutch oven fries for her birthday dinner.  When you smoke a cheeseburger you get a taste that is delicious and completely unique.  All I do is mix some seasoning salt into ground beef and I used a hamburger press to shape the patties.  Using offset heat in my Weber Kettle Grill I smoked the burgers for at least an hour.  If you were making smaller burgers it would take less time.  The last 10 minutes I topped the patties with cheese and bacon.  Once I pulled them off the grill I toasted the brioche buns on the grill. The cheeseburgers have a great smoke ring and a flavor that cannot be beat.  

For the dutch oven fries I used a recipe I found in Barbecue Biscuits & Beans: Chuck Wagon Cooking.   

Slice the potatoes into thin wedges.  Preheat a 14 inch dutch oven to 450 degrees using 26 briquettes on top and 14 on the bottom.  Melt 1/4 stick of butter in the dutch oven and place the potatoes wedges cut side down in the bottom.  Make sure they do not overlap.  Cook about 20-30 minutes or until browned on one side an then flip the wedges over and cook for another 20 minutes until crispy.  You can top them with salt or seasoning salt.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Dutch Oven Quick and Easy No-Knead Bread

This bread is wonderful.  It only takes a few hours to prepare (most of it is just a resting period) and it tastes like artisan bread that has taken days to prepare.  I used this recipe for Fast No-Knead Bread and adapted it for my dutch oven.  

After letting the dough rest for 3.5 hours and shaping it into a loaf I placed it on parchment paper that I trimmed down to fit in my dutch oven.  Let that rest for another 30 minutes while you preheat your 12 inch deep dutch oven to 450 degrees using 22 briquettes on top and 11 on the bottom.  After 30 minutes carefully place the dough with the parchment paper into the dutch oven and cook for 50 minutes or until done.  Like I have said in other posts I do not change out the briquettes on the bottom of the dutch oven but I do replace the top as needed.  And every 15 minutes rotate the dutch oven a quarter turn so everything cooks evenly.  Let the bread rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and enjoying.  

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Dutch Oven Pizza

Dutch Oven Pizza is one of my families favorite.  It is easy to do and has a taste that can't be beat.  I used my wife's pizza dough recipe and spread it in a 16 inch greased dutch oven.  Pour about a teaspoon of olive oil over the top and spread with your favorite pizza sauce.  Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  We topped it with pepperoni and oven roasted garlic tomatoes.  Bake at 375 degrees using 27 briquettes on top and 14 on the bottom.  Cook it for 40-45 minutes or until done.

Thanks for reading and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven Pork Chops

Today I finally got back to my dutch oven and made these pork chops.  It is a super easy recipe and I used the shake and bake method to bread them which makes it simple and little clean up which would be perfect for camping.  

Dutch Oven Pork Chops

I used 12 boneless pork chops that were about 1/2 inch thick

Preheat your dutch oven for about 10 minutes while you are getting the food ready. 

1 sleeve saltine crackers crushed

1/2 cup pretzels crushed (I used my food processor for these)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/4 cup parmesan cheese 

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix all of that together and place in a large bag.

In a bowl beat 3 eggs and then dip the pork chops in and place in the bag with the breading mixture.  When all the pork chops are in close the top of the bag and shake until everything is evenly coated.

Put about a tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of a 14 inch dutch oven and then place the pork chops in and lightly drizzle more olive oil over the top.  Cook at 375° using 22 briquettes on top and 12 on the bottom and cook for 30 minutes or until done.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Dutch Oven Ham

I have wanted to cook a ham in my dutch oven for a while and today I finally did it.  I used my 14 inch dutch oven and covered the bottom with 3 large potatoes sliced and 1 large onion as a base to place my ham on.  I added about 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the dutch oven.  I cooked it at 275° using 18 briquettes on top and 8 on the bottom.  I cooked it for 3 hours and then made a glaze, today we just used equal parts honey and brown sugar mixed together but you can use any glaze you would like.  Brush it all over the ham and bake for 10 more minutes.  Let it rest for at least 10 minutes and then serve.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!

Upside Down Cowboy pizza

I made this recipe last week and it was a huge hit with my family.  I found the recipe from Kent Rollins, check out his YouTube channel for great ideas in outdoor cooking.

Here is my version of this recipe. 

Upside Down Cowboy Pizza

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small jar spaghetti sauce

1 16 oz carton of sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 crescent roll tubes

1/4 melted butter

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Using a 12 inch dutch oven 

Brown the ground beef, onions and garlic until fully cooked.  

Stir in the spaghetti sauce

Spread sour cream over the top

Cover the sour cream with the cheddar cheese

Unroll the crescent rolls and place over the top of the cheese, completely covering it all 

Brush top with melted butter and top with parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350° using 17 briquettes on top and 8 on the bottom for 35-40 minutes.  

Let cool for 10 minutes and then serve.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Dutch Oven Taco Meat

With it being so hot here is it nice to cook something outside to keep our kitchen cooler.  Today I made this taco meat and it is really easy and you can adjust to your taste preference.

Dutch Oven Taco Meat

1 pound ground beef

1 large tomato diced

1 large onion diced

1 large bell pepper diced

taco seasoning

1/4 cup water

Combine the beef, tomato, onion and bell pepper in a 12 inch greased dutch oven.  Cook it at 350 degrees using 17 briquettes on top and 8 on the bottom.  Your time will depend on how quickly the meat and vegetables cook.  When the meat is done add the taco seasoning to taste and add the water.  Cook with the lid off for about 10 minutes so the water evaporates out and serve.  

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven Baking Powder Biscuits

Biscuits have been my nemesis in dutch oven cooking.  I have tried and failed at them so many times I don't want to mention.  And now finally I have done it and they are great!  They are big, fluffy, and perfectly cooked on bottom.   When I first stared I used butter as the fat in them but after reading a few blogs and YouTube videos I found that shortening is the way to go.

Dutch Oven Baking Powder Biscuits
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup milk

I actually doubled this recipe to fit my 12 inch dutch oven and to make them larger biscuits.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or 2 knives.  Stir in enough milk just until the dough sticks together (if you add too much milk and it becomes sticky just add more flour)

Roll out the dough to 1 inch thickness and I used a mason jar to cut them out, or you can use a biscuit cutter or even a cleaned out tuna can.  Place in a 12 inch dutch oven.  I cooked it at 350 degrees and here is what I did different; Normally when cooking at 350 degrees you would place 17 on top and 8 on the bottom but for this I placed 5 briquettes on the bottom of the dutch oven and 20 on the top.   I never replaced the bottom briquettes, just let them burn out.  I did replace the top ones as needed.  Every 10 minutes turn the dutch oven a quarter turn.  Cook for 30 - 40 minutes.  I did hear a cowboy say that lifting the lid will add 5 minutes to your cooking time so don't open the lid until at least 30 minutes.

Here is a great YouTube video on making them

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Dutch Oven Challah Bread

One of my students brought in challah bread for one of our training breakfast meeting and I knew I wanted to try it in my dutch oven.  This recipe for Jewish Challah Bread is easy and delicious.   I used my oval dutch oven and since there is not much information about temperatures for this I had to figure it out.  I used the same temperature scale that I would use on my 14 inch dutch oven using 22 briquettes on top and 12 on the bottom for 375 degrees.  I cooked this 45 minutes or until the top is nicely brown and the bread sounds hollow with you knock on it.  Since the oval dutch oven does not have legs I used 2 dutch oven lid stands to cook it on.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven Triple Chocolate Cake

This cake is delicious and very easy to make.  

Triple Chocolate Cake

2 boxes devils food cake mix

1 bag chocolate chips

2 cans frosting (or 2 batches homemade, which I did) 

Preheat 2 12  inch dutch ovens or I used one dutch oven and cooked one cake and then other.  Make one cake as directed and stir in half the bag of chocolate chips.  Spay dutch oven and line with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees using 17 briquettes on top and 8 on the bottom.   Bake 30 minutes rotating lid a quarter turn every 10 minutes.   Turn cake onto a pan and let cool completely.   Bake the next cake using the same directions.  I placed my cake on a dutch oven lid but you can use a plate or cake stand and frost the cake.  

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Dutch Oven Garlic Rosemary Bread

I found this recipe for Garlic Rosemary Bread and wanted to try it in my dutch oven.   This bread reminds me of Macaroni Grill's bread.  We had this with a pasta meal tonight and it was fantastic.  I preheated the dutch oven lid like I do everytime I cook bread in it and I baked it at 400 degrees using 19 briquettes on top and 10 on the bottom and cooked it for 35 minutes.  Make sure you rotate the lid a quarter turn about every 5 minutes.

Thanks for reading and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven Coconut Chicken

My wife wanted me to cook this Coconut Chicken for a Swiss Family Robinson theme night we were having.   And it was delicious.  What is great about frying food in your dutch oven outside is your house does not have the usual smell from frying.    We changed things a little just for what we had on hand.

Dutch Oven Coconut Chicken
2 lbs boneless chicken breast (cut into 2 in pieces)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 sleeve saltine crackers (crushed)
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup oil (more if needed)

Pour the oil in a 12 inch dutch oven and heat to 375 degrees using 18 briquettes on top and 9 on the bottom.

Set out 3 bowls.  In one mix the flour and salt, in the second whisk the egg and coconut milk, and in the 3rd add the crushed saltine crackers and shredded coconut.

When the oil is ready dip the chicken in the flour, then the egg / coconut milk and then coat with the coconut mixture.  Place in the hot oil and cook 2-4 minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked.   Only cook about 6-7 pieces at a time so the oil does not cool down too much and not properly fry them.

We served this with this Island Mango Sauce and it was a huge hit.

Thanks for reading and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven Ribs

Smoking Ribs is my all time favorite thing to cook, but this a close second.   If you don't have a smoker this is a great way to have fall-off-the-bone ribs.  I was excited to cook this today.

Dutch Oven Ribs

2 racks pork ribs
1 2-liter orange soda
1 onion, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 large potatoes, sliced
1 can frozen apple juice concentrate (thawed)
1 cup of your favorite rib or barbeque rub
yellow mustard (enough to spread over ribs)
Barbeque sauce

One of my favorite things to do is marinate ribs in orange soda, it gives it a sweet flavor and also makes them super tender.  Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs and place them in a large pan and cover with orange soda overnight or at least 12 hours.

While you are heating up your coals bring the ribs to room temperature.

Remove from soda and spread a thin layer of mustard all over the ribs.  You will not taste the mustard after it cooks but it helps the rub stay on and gives it a nice flavor.

Coat the ribs liberally with your favorite rub.

In the bottom of your dutch oven  pour in the apple juice.

Layer the peppers, onion and potatoes on the bottom.  This will create a platform for the ribs to sit on so they do not boil, but bake.

I cut my ribs to fit in the dutch oven and place on top of the peppers, onion, and potatoes.

Cook it at 300 degrees in a 16 inch dutch oven using 23 briquettes on top and 10 on the bottom and cook for around 3-4 hours.  (you can use a smaller dutch oven and just adjust your briquettes according to the size)

An hour before they are done brush it with barbeque sauce.  If you put this on too early the sugars may burn.

Let it rest 20 minutes before cutting and serve.


This presentation is similar to what I would do in a competition.   It was a hit with our whole family, in fact our 21 month old daughter could not get enough of it.

Thank you for reading, and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls

I have been wanting to make my wife's cinnamon rolls in the dutch oven and finally today I was able to and it was a great success.  

While cinnamon rolls were doing their second rise in the dutch oven I preheated my 16 inch dutch oven lid.  I cooked this at 350 degrees using 26 briquettes on top and 13 on bottom.  I never changed the bottoms one I just let them die out which helps the bottom not to burn.  I also turned the dutch oven a quarter turn every 5 minutes or so.  I cooked it for 25 minutes, let it cool and then frosted them.  They were great!!

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!! 

Dutch Oven Cherry Cobbler - Easy to make

I am sorry it has been a while since I have posted but things have been really busy.  I should be back to posting once a week now.

I made this Cherry Cobbler on a Father and Sons campout for our church.  It is very easy and people seemed to like it.

This is perfect for camping because you pretty much just dump stuff in.

Dutch Oven Cherry Cobbler

1 large can cherry pie filling (you can use any pie filling you would like for this)

1 yellow or white cake mix

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter melted.  

Pour cherry pie filling in a 12 inch dutch oven.  Spread the dry cake mix over the pie filling.  Pour melted butter evenly over cake mix.  

Bake at 400 degrees using 19 briquettes on top and 10 bottom for 30 minutes or until browned on top.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven Cowboy Stew

This is a recipe I have wanted to try.  I found this recipe from a cookbook I bought from The American Chuck Wagon Association called Second Helpings.  This is not a typical tomato based stew but it has bacon so you know it is good.  We changed things a little bit due to what we had on hand.  I took pictures of the cooking steps this time.

Brown the diced bacon in a 14 in dutch oven

Next the meat and and brown in the bacon grease. 

Add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until onions are translucent.

Add the apple cider vinegar and beef broth.  Simmer until reduced by half.

Mix the flour and water in a small bowl and stir into the stew.  

Add the potatoes and cook until carrots and potatoes are tender.

We served ours with homemade biscuits and my family really enjoyed this meal.

Cowboy Stew

1/2 lb bacon, diced
2 lbs cubed stew meat
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped
1 lb carrots, chopped
1/2 apple cider vinegar (this adds a tangy flavor but you could leave this out if you like)
2 qt beef broth
1 cup flour
1/2 cup water
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the bacon in the a 14 in dutch oven.  Next the meat and and brown in the bacon grease.   Add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until onions are translucent.   Add the apple cider vinegar and beef broth.  Simmer until reduced by half.  Mix the flour and water in a small bowl and stir into the stew.  Add the potatoes and cook until carrots and potatoes are tender.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven Super Potatoes

My wife has been asking me to make her Nana's Super Potatoes in the dutch oven for Easter.  These are a family favorite and you cannot attend a holiday dinner with her family without having these potatoes.   The recipe is super simple but they make for a great side dish to any meal.

Super Potatoes
6 large potatoes (boiled, peeled and shredded) You can also use frozen hash browns
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups sour cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
2 Tbs butter cut up

Toss all ingredients and put in a greased 12 inch dutch oven.  Top with cut up butter and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the sides and top have started to brown and the cheese and butter are melted.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!

Dutch Oven French Bread

As I have said before I use to struggle with making bread in the dutch oven.  But after learning some tricks and techniques they come out great.  I used this recipe for french bread.  It is a simple and easy recipe.  Now the trick for making bread in the dutch oven is to always preheat the dutch oven and use a thermometer.  This bread I cooked it until internal temperature of 190 degrees and it came out perfect.  When you are doing the second rise do it on parchment paper, as you are preheating the dutch oven and then place it in the dutch oven when ready to bake.  I also used an egg wash to help it brown on top.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Dutch Oven Enchiladas

Now I know this looks like my chimichangas but these are my wife's enchiladas and they are delicious.
Here is her recipe for Chicken Enchiladas.  But when we make them in the dutch oven instead of rolling them we layer the tortillas, kind of like you would with a lasagna.  Also with the filling we add black beans, corn, green onions and sweet mini peppers just to bulk things up and it taste really great that way.

Here is an example of what I do.  Pour a little sauce on the bottom of the dutch oven.  Top it with a tortilla and then spread 1/3 of the chicken mixture.  Repeat with another tortilla and chicken mixture, until you end up with a tortilla on top.  Pour the remaining sauce over it and top with cheese and green onions.  I used a 12 inch dutch oven and cooked it at 350 degrees using 17 briquettes on top and 8 on the bottom and cook it for 30-40 minutes or until the cheese it nicely melted and everything is warmed through.

We like to eat this with rice and tortilla chips.  I will do another post about making rice in the dutch oven later.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!